1.5- Hexadiynes benzocyclobutene synthesis

A similar synthesis starts from commercially available 1,5-hexadiyne and 2-methyl-cyclopent-2-enone. The benzocyclobutene is obtained from a bis-acetylene in a cobalt-catalyzed reaction. It rearranges regio- and stereoselectively to a 3-deoxy steroid derivative. The overall yield from the cyclopentenone was 40% (R.L. Funk, 1977). 

A major initial limitation of the benzocyclobutene approach to o-quinodimethanes was the lack of efficient, large-scale syntheses for many specifically substituted derivatives. Fortunately, recent developments have lemov much of this impediment. Q>nceptually, the synthesis of benzocyclobutenes from aromatic precursors can be envisaged in only a limited number of ways. These include [2 -i- 2] cycloadditions involving benzynes and alkenes, intramolecular cyclization on to a benzyne, cyclizations involving arene anions, and electrocyclic closure of o-quinodimethanes. Benzocyclobutene derivatives can also be prepared by aromatization of bicyclo[4.2.0]octanes. Detailed discussion of variations to these approaches can be found in the cited reviews. The cobalt catalyzed co-oligomerization of 1,5-hexadiynes with al-kynes, especially bis(trimethylsilyl)acetylene, has also been employed for the preparation of specifically substituted benzocyclobutenes. In the latter case the cyclobutenes are often not isolated but converted directly to o-quinodimethanes and subsequent products. ... 

The availability of benzocyclobutenes from cocycloadditions of 1,5-hexadiynes and hindered alkynes has been elaborated into an iterative synthesis of a variety of novel polycyclic biphenylene derivatives. 

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